Alberta & BC Beef Recalled Across Provinces Due To E. Coli Contamination

If you've been ordering beef at restaurants, hotels, and other establishments around Alberta and B.C. lately, you may have been exposed to E. Coli. Yet another meat-related warning is in effect right now in some Canadian provinces. The B.C. and Alberta E. coli beef recall is impacting western Canada and perhaps Canada as a whole, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Canadians have been subject to a number of meat-related recalls in recent months. Most recently, on Sunday, October 6, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency released an updated warning that The Beef Boutique Ltd. had recalled some of its raw beef products on account of possible E. Coli contamination. The Beef Boutique is a Toronto meatpacking facility that had been selling their now recalled products in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and potentially other provinces and territories, according to the recall notice.

The potential contamination was discovered by the CFIA during an inspection. As their inspection of The Beef Boutique is ongoing, it “may lead to the recall of other products,” says their website. The CFIA will release updates as needed if more concerns are uncovered.

The meat products that have been recalled are as follows:

• 6 oz beef burgers packed on June 12, 2019. Product number 2530450
• Lean ground beef (HF) RWA packed on June 14, 2019. Product number 2614850
• Lean ground beef 500 gm., 17% fat packed on June 12, 2019. Product number 2664250

Any restaurants, retailers, and distributors that carry these products are advised not to serve or sell them to anyone. According to the recall notice, recalled products should be returned to where they were purchased. The products may not look or smell contaminated, so it’s better safe than sorry.

At the time the recall was issued, no reported illnesses had been associated with the beef products. That said, if one were to fall ill from consuming contaminated beef, they could experience “nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps and watery to bloody diarrhea,” explained the CFIA in the notice.

Beyond the more mild symptoms, E. Coli exposure can lead to severe symptoms that cause people to “have seizures or strokes, need blood transfusions and kidney dialysis or live with permanent kidney damage. In severe cases of illness, people may die,” explained the CFIA. As such, this recall should not be taken lightly by suppliers or consumers. 

After recent recalls on diced chicken, chicken salad, and various beef products, it’s imperative that we keep our eyes on the latest developments in meat warnings to ensure our safety when grocery shopping and dining out. Especially in cases like these when the products in question may not show any signs of contamination. Stay informed and ask where your meat products are coming from, folks.

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